Mechanism for accurately controlling and maintaining the speed of ship propellers



Dec. 15, 1931. A. J. STUBLER ET AL N. s t 8 9 h ms MECHANISM FOR ACCURATELY CONTROLLING AND THE SPEED OF SHIP PROPELLERS L Ki Filed March 1929 y A TITORNE y 1,836,826 AINTAINING 1931- A. J. STUBLER ET AL MECHANISM FOR ACCURATELY CONTROLLING AND M THE SPEED OF' SHIP PROPELLERS Filed March 9, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 GA guv 1v 5 ATTORNEY MECHANISM FOR ACCURATELY CONTROLLING AND MAINTAINING THE SPEED OF SHIP PROPELLERS I A. J. STUBLER ET AL 1,335,826

Filed March. 9, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 I Y I a0 mo 50 60 A TTORNE 1 MECHANISM FOR ACCURATELY CONTROLLING AND MAINTAINING THE SPEED OF SHIP PROPELLERS Filed March 9, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 illi- I ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 15, 1931 UNITED STATES ANDREW J. STULBLER AND HERBERT A. STUBLEE, F HALETHORPE, MARYLAND, AS- SIGNORS OF ONE-THIRD TO FEEDER-IO V. BS'JITLER, OF HALETHORPE, MARYLAND MECHANISM FOR ACCURA'IELY CONTROLLING AND MAINTAINING THE SPEED OF SKI PROPELLERS Application filed March a, 1929. Serial No. 345,875.

The present invention relates to an improved mechanism for accurately controlling and maintaining the speed of a ships propeller to a predetermined number of revo lutions per minute.

The object of the invention, among other things, is to prevent the propeller of a ship from racing when the same is raised clear or partially from the water, due to heavy pitching of the vessel usually caused by high seas in rough, stormy weather.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus that is automatic in its function of preventing a ships propeller from racing.

Another purpose and object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus that is universal in its adaptation to substantially all types of self propelled boats and vessels, for the purpose of maintaining a predetermined speed of its propelling means.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a ships propelling means speed control that is adjustable and adaptable for any given number of revolutions per minute, such as the higher speed usually maintained by passenger vessels or the slower speeds usually maintained by the tramps or freight carrying vessels.

Another object of the present invention is to provide means for quickly and substantially simultaneously returning the propeller speed to its normal revolutions per minute, upon its beginning to race due to the load or resistance being removed from same when the propeller kicks out of the sea.

Another purpose and object of the present invention is to provide means for controlling the source of power of a ships propelling means for purposes of maintaining the ships propelling means at a given ratio of power.

Another object and purpose of the present invention is to provide adjustable means to maintain the predetermined given ratio of power between the power source and propelling means of a self propelled boat or vessel.

A further object of the present invention is to provide adjustable means to increase the speed of the ships propeller when the same is slowed down due to unusual or sudden resistance.

A further object ofthe present invention is to provide adjustable coordinating means to either increaseor decrease the speed of a ships propeller for purposes of maintaining the same at a given and predetermined number of revolutions per minute.

' A further purpose and object of the present invention is to prevent the objectionable vibration of the ship due to the racing of the propeller, propeller drive shaft and its power source when the propeller kicks out of the sea. This vibration is not only objectionable to individuals, particularly those of high class passenger vessels, but is disastrous to the propelling mechanism of the ship, causing undue wear and loosening up of the various parts in the driving mechanism, which causes unnecessary expense in repairs to the vessel and loss of time in lay ups? of the vessel while repairs are made. It is also well known that this vibration is also disastrous in the course of time on the ships hull, causing undue looseningof the plates and reinforcing members that go to make up the structure of the vessel.

In rough or stormy weather particularly when high seas are running, the stern of a ves sel may be raised up sufiiciently high by a swell to completely withdraw the propeller from the sea. lhis position of the vessel may be sustained by the swell for a period of seconds, a minute or longer, if the swell is traveling substantially with the speed of the vessel, thus causing prolonged vibration of the vessel due to the racing of the propeller and shaft when the resistance of the water is removed.

In the accompanying drawings we have illustrated a speed and power control mechanism for the propelling means of ships:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of the invention, disclosing the complete ar- 1 rangement of the mechanical and electrical features;

Figure 2 is a somewhat similar view, illustrating the invention as applied and used in the hull of a vessel Figure 3 is a side elevation of the speed indicating and controlling instrument, shown partly in section for purposes of illustration;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the yielding or resilient supporting table for the speed indicating instrument;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary front elevational view, partly in section, of the indicating drum of the speed indicating instrument;

Figure 6 is a plan view of the speed indieating and controlling instrument;

Figure 7 is an end elevation of one of the steam cylinders, illustrating the relative position of its controlling valve and magnet;

Figure 8 is a sectional view on the line 8-8 of Figure 7, illustrating the three way valve structure.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, particular reference being made to Figure 1, the invention consists of a speed indicating instrument 1, having a magnetically con trolled revolving drum member 2, the same being operated through a bevel gear 3 and a bevel pinion a. The bevel pinion 4 being mounted on the shaft 5, which may be the flexible cable type, the opposite end of said shaft having a pinion 6, for purposes of engaging the driving gear 7, which may in turn be mounted on the main drive shaft for the ships propeller, as indicated diagrammatically at 8.

The revolving drum member 2 has an extension thereon, indicated at 9, for purposes of engaging the high and low speed contact members 10 and 11, respectively. The revolving drum member 2 that is shown, is the well known magnetically controlled speedometer type. The magnet, as indicated at 12, has the bevel gear 3 fixed to the bottom thereof. Upon the rotation of the shaft 8 through the gearing, as shown, the magnet is caused to revolve, thereby setting up a magnetic field about its periphery, the higher the speed of the magnetthe stronger will be the magnetic field set up, thus causing the drum member 2 to move in the direction of the arrow, indicated at 14. Thus when the speed is slack ened, the drum member 2 reverses its direction and moves in the direction of the arrow, indicated at 15.

The position of the drum 2 with its extension 9, as disclosed diagrammatically in Figure 1, would represent normal running speed, i. e., 60 R. P. M., while the position of the contact member 10 would represent a speed slightly in excess of 60 R. P. M., so that, should the speed of the propeller shaft 8 eX- ceed 60 R. P. M., due to kicking out of the sea, the extension 9 of the drum 2 would immediately advance in the direction of the arrow 14, thus coming in engagement with the contact member 10, which closes an electric circuit, which functions to simultaneously partially shut off the source of power which operates the propeller shaft, thus slowing down the speed of the propeller while the same is out of the water to 30 R. P. M. and preventing the so called racing of same. This function will be hereinafter explained in detail.

The position of the contart member 11 as shown in Figure 1, would represent substantially R. P. M., as a minimum speed for the propellershaft. hus when the drum extension 9 moves in the direction or the arrow 15, due to a slowing down of the speed of the propeller shaft caused by the previouslyexplained action of partially cutting off the power supply, it will hover slightly in advance of the contact member 11, due to its speed of R. P. M., upon re-entering the water the propeller is slowed down, due to resistance, to 25 R. P. M. The engagement of these two members, 9 and 11, closes an electric circuit, which again functions simultaneously, as in the previous operation for high speed, and opens up the source of power to its original running position, thus returning the speed of the propeller shaft to the predetermined R. P. M. This slow speed control will also be hereinafter explained in detail.

The drum extension member 9 may be grounded through the metal portions of the speed indicating instrument 1, by means of the wire lead 16, to the negative side of the battery 17.

For purposes of operating the high speed ontrol mechanism, the contact member 10 may have a wire lead 18 leading to a relay 19, the return wire 20, which is on the plus side of the battery, leads from the relay 19 to relay 21, the return wire 22 which leads from the relay 21, leads directly to the plus side of the battery 17, thus completing the circuit for energizing these two relays 19 and 21 respectively. Upon the engagement of the drum extension and contact members 9 and 10, respectively, due to excessive propeller speed, the circuit is completely closed, thus energizing the two relays 19 and 21. It is necessary to sustain the magnetic energy in these relays l9 and 21, respectively, for purposes of closing down the power supply which operates the propeller, and for maintaining the propeller speed of 30 R. P. M., as hereinbefore explained. hen the propeller kicks out of the sea, the load being removed, it will immediately race past 60 R; P. M., and as here inbefore explained, the contacts 9 and 10 engage and cause the energizing of the relays 19 and 21., for purposes of operating the power cut off mechanism. However as the propeller may remain out of the sea for a minute or more, it is the purpose of the inventionto immediately cut the speed of the propeller down to substantially 30 R. P. M. while the same is still out of the water for the purpose of practically entirely eliminating all vibration of the ship, due to the revolving of the propeller lever 41 which may and its respective parts, during the time that the propeller is free from the water and its resistance. a a I Due to the fact that the speed of the propeller shaft 8 is immediately cut down to 30 R. P. M. and held at this speed whilethe propeller is out of the water, it is necessary to maintain the magnetic energy in relays19 and 21, as will be hereinafter explained. 7 Immediately upon the slowing down of the propeller shaft 8 the drum extension 9 moves away from the contact member 10 in the di rection of the arrow 15, thus breaking the contact of these two contact members and opening the circuit at this-point. However as it is necessary to maintain the energy in these relays for the purpose of-keeping the power supply partially cut oif tomaintain 30 R. P. M., the upper relay which may be termed the locking relay, is provided with a lead 23 from the negative lead 18,:which lead 23 terminates at contact point 24onthe relay 19. Upon the initial action or energizing of this relay 19, due to the contacting of memhere 9 and 10, the contact point 25 on the lever 26 is drawn up to and engages the contact point 24, thus closing an independent negative circuit through the relay 19 and locking same in energized position, for a purpose as will be hereinafter described. This independent relay locking circuit is as follows: the lever 26 has a wire 27, which leads to the stationary contact point 28, which en ages the contact point 29 on the movable ever 30, engagedto said lever and in circuit with same are wires 31,32 and 16, which lead to the negative side of the battery 17.. Thus completing an independent negative return for relay 19and locking same in energized position. I

Due to the fact thatrelay 21 is in the same circuit, it is also locked in energized position, thus closing the contactpoints 33 and 34, which are controlledby relay 21.

The contact point 34 is engaged to the movable lever 35, said lever has connected thereto a wire 36, the opposite end of which is engaged to the magnet 37 the return wire 38 of the magnet leads to the plus side of a heavyduty battery 39, for the purpose of obtaining a strong pull on the magnet 37. The negative side of the battery 39 has a wire 40, which leads directly to the contact member 33, thus completing this circuit when the relay 21 is energized and the points 33 and 34 closed, causing the magnet 37 to function, by pulling down on the segmental gear lever 41, by means of the moving core 42 of the magnet being connected at 43, to the segmental gear be pivoted at 44, to the cylinder head 45of the steam cylinder 46. The segmental gear meshes with and turns the gear 47, which gear; is mounted on the stem 48 of a threeway valve 49, particular reference being made-.to Figures 7 and '8, by

this turning of the three way valve'49 the direction of which is indicated by:.the arrow in Figure 8, steam is permitted to pass into the cylinder 46 from the steam supply pipe 50, through the passage 51 of the valve, when the same becomes registered with the passages 52 and 53 of the valve casing. under pressure causes the piston. 54 to advance in the direction of the arrow 55. a

The piston rod 56 of'th-e piston 54, is in turn engaged to a steam or power throttle lever 57 as at 58. At 59 is a connecting rod between the throttle lever 57 and a bell crank lever 60, the same being supported from the casing of the steam gate valve 61, by the extension 62, as at 63, and engaged to the gate valve stem 64, as at 65. The steam gate valve is connected to a source of steam supply by the pipe 66 and its opposite pipe 67 may be a lead to the engines that supply the power for operating the propellers of the ships. Upon the advancement of the piston rod 56, the steam gate valve is partially closed to give a minlmum speed to the propeller of 30 R. P. M. and the dog 68 has closed the contact points 69 and 7 0, thus causing'the relay 7l to become energized through the negative wlres 72 and 16, thence through the battery 17 ,through the positive wires 22 and 73,

thence through the relay 71, and the return wire 74 to the contact points and 69.

' The energizing of this relay 71 opens the contact points 28 and 29, thus breaking the locking circuit which has kept the two relays 19 and 21 energized, also causing the steam cylinder magnet 37 to lose its energy by the opening of the contact points 33 and 34 controlled by relay 21.

' Thus the steam gate valve is held in a sufficiently closed position to cause the propeller to revolve at 30 R. P. M. as long as the same remains out of the water. 1

Upon the loss of magnetic energy in the magnet 37, the core 42 and segmental gear lever 41 are returned to normal raised po sition by means of the spring 7 5, see Figure 7, within the magnet 37 thus causing the three way valve 49 to turn to the position shown in Figure 8, permitting the steam to escape from the cylinder through passages 53 and 51 to the exhaust pipe 76.

As the piston rod 56 advances in the direction of the arrow 55, the dog 77 carried thereon, moves awayfrom the contact points 78 and 79, thus permitting another circuit to be opened and causing the loss of magnetic energy inthe relay member 8O, allowing the two contact points 81 and 82, to 7 become closed for a purpose hereinafter explained. The contact point 78 is connected directly to the negative side of the battery 17 by the negative wire 16, the contact point 79 is connected directly to relay 80 by wire .83, through the relay, thence by wires 84,73, and

This steam 22, to the plusside'of'the battery, 17 thus completing the circuitfor the relay 80.

The propeller. is now turning out of the Water at aspeed of 30 R. P. M., the position of the contact member 11 is set for R. P. M., so that the drum extension member 9 hovers just in advance of this contact point 11 at R. P. M. The propeller now returns to the water and due to the resistance of the same, the speed of the propeller is cut down to 25 .R. P. M., thus causing the drum extension 9 to come in engagement with the contact point: 11, closing an electric circuit, which causes relays 85, 86, and magnet 87, to become energized- The relays 85 and 86 become, directly energized through the same circuit, which is as follows, i. e., from contact member; 11 of the speed indicating instrument lrthrough wire 88, on the negative side of the battery 17, which runs directly to and through relay 85, thence by wire 89 through relay 86, thence by wires 90 and 22 to the positive side of the battery 17, through the battery to the wire 16, which is grounded to drum extension 9. Thus completing the circuit for the relays 85 and 86. necessary to lock these two relays in energized position and to prevent them from losing theirenergy when the contact is broken between contact points 9 and 11, due to the increasing of the speed of the propeller shaft when the power is increased, causing the drum extension 9 to move away from the contact 11 in the direction of the arrow 14,

i when the propeller speed is being increased forpurposes of returning the same to normal running speed of 60 R. P. M., the relay 85 is provided with a Wire 91, which permits a negative return of current to pass through relay 85 by wire 88 at one end thereof, the opposite end of said wire being engaged to contact member 92. Upon the initial energizing of this magnet through the engagement of contacts 9 and 11, the relay 85 closes i the contacts 92 and 93, thus enabling negative current to passthrough the following wires and contact points, i. e., from the contact points 92 and 93 through wire 94, thence through contact points 81 and 82, whose controlling magnet is now deenergized, permitting these points to close, due to the initial opening of contact points 78 and 79, when the dog 77 is moved away from these points by the action of the piston rod 56, from. contact points 81 and 82, through wires 31 and 32, to

the direct negative return wires 16, which leads to the negative side of the battery 17, thus the relays 85 and 86 are held in locked or energized position and are independent of the opening or breaking of contact mem bers 9 and 11. i

The relay 86 closes thecontact points 95 and 9.6, which actuates the steam cylinder magnet 87 ,by closing the circuit which controls the same.

As it is Theenergy passes through this circuit as follows: from contact point 96 to wire 97, thence to and through relay 8,7, .thence through wires'98 and.38 to the positive side of battery 39, thence through .the battery and negative wires 40 and 99 to the contact point 95 of the relay 86.

The steam cylinder magnet. 87 becoming energized, as hereinbefore explained, pulls down on the segmental gear lever 41 through the magnet core 42, causing the three way valve gear 47 to rotate permitting pressure steam-to enter the cylinder by way of the steam supply pipe 50, through the three way valve 49, by way of passages 52, 51, and 53. 1 Both three way valves and their operating mechanism, are duplicates in construction, except one is right and the other left handed structures.

Upon the entrance of the steam in the cylinder 46', the piston 54 and piston rod 56' advance in the direction of the arrow 55. The piston rod 56 is also connected to the steam throttle as at, 58, thus when the rod 56 moves forward it causes the steam throttle 57 to open up the steam gate valve 61 through its stem 64, bell crank and connecting rod 59.

This operation'causes the original amount of predetermined steam to operate the power supply for running the propeller at its originalnormal fixed speed of 60 R. P. M.

When piston 54 moves forward it causes piston 54 to move back to its original position, thus causing the dog 77 carried on the piston rod 56 to close the contacts 78 and 79, thus energizing the relay 80 and opening contact points 81 and 82, breaking the locking circuit for relays 85 and 86, causing contact points 92 and 93, of relay 85 and contact points 95 and 96 of relay 86, to become disengaged, also causing the steam cylinder magnet 87 to become deenergized and return to normal position, permitting the three way valve to turn to allow the steam in the cylinder to escape through the exhaust pipe 76.

As the piston rod dog 68 moves forward in the direction of the arrow 55, it is moved away from the contacts 69 and 70, permitting these points to open, causing the deenergizing of the relay 71, thus allowing the contact points 28 and 29 to assume a closed position, for the purpose of a repetition of the initial operation when the propeller again kicks out of the water and begins to race over 60 R. P. M.

An electrical switch 100 in the negative return wire 16 may be used'if it is desired to cut the apparatus ofi during calm weather.

Reference being made to Figure 6, it will be noted that the contact points 10 and 11 are shown as coil springs for the purpose of allowing the drum extension 9 to pass these yielding points without causing damage to either member. For adjusting the contact points 10 and 11 for any normal running speed for the propeller, a segmental slot 101 may be provided with screw members 102 and 103, on each contact arm for purposes of fixing same in their predetermined positions. The extension plate 104 may be of any type of non-conducting material to prevent short circuits between the contact points and 11.

10 Referring to Figure 3, the speed indicating instrument 1 may be provided with a ball and socket support 105, having a depending Weight 106 hanging therefrom, by means of the rod 107. This instrument may also be yieldingly supported as by means of the plate 108 and upper and lower spring members 109, the same being held to the supporting structure 110 by means of the machine bolts 111. The yielding ball and socket supporting arrangement for the speed indicating instrument will tend to keep the same in an upright position when the ship rocks and the yielding plate will prevent any undue shocks reaching the instrument proper.

It will also be noted that the piston rod dogs 68 and 77, see Figure 1, are adjustable by set screws on their respective piston rods, for the purpose of regulating the time of opening and closing the steam gate valve member 61.

We have thus described our invention specifically and in detail in order that its nature and operation may be fully understood; however, the specific terms herein are used descriptively rather than in their limiting sense, and the scope of the invention is defined in the claims.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

4n 1. A propeller speed control mechanism for vessels having means for preventing the increase of the propeller speed when the pro peller is raised from the Water, and coordinating means for decreasing the propeller speed to any predetermined number of revolutions per minute while the propeller remains clear of the Water, for the purpose of preventing vibration of the vessel due to the propeller speed.

2. A propeller speed control mechanism for vessels having means for preventing the increase of the propeller speed when the latter is raised from the Water, an automatic coordinating means for decreasing the propeller speed to any predetermined number of revolutions per minute while the propeller remains clear of the Water, and an automatic means for increasing the speed of the propeller instantly on the submerging back into the water.

In testimony whereof we hereunto afi'lx our signatures.

ANDREW J. STUBLER. HERBERT A. STUBLER. 

